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Interview with Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN): Iran Says It Put Forward Generous Proposals to the U.S.; Trump: Latest Proposal From Iran Totally Unacceptable; American Teen Dies Day After Parents Released from DHS Custody; Oil Prices Climb After Trump Rejects Iran's Peace Proposal. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired May 11, 2026 - 08:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[08:00:00]

JON KRAKAUER, AUTHOR AND MOUNTAINEER: Sometimes it does. It did transform mine, not for the better. So yes, it's still Mount Everest.

It's still, it's getting more dangerous because global warming, this icefall I was talking about, is becoming more unstable. They're talking about now all the guides having, maybe next year or in a few years, having to helicopter everyone above the icefall. But if you do that, are you even climbing Mount Everest?

I don't know. I mean, it won't stop people. I don't know what.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: 30 years, new edition out. Jon Krakauer, it's great to see you again. Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do.

I think one of the problems is you're such a good writer. You're such a good writer that it makes everything so compelling. Thank you for all that.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you. We really appreciate it.

A new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now.

Breaking overnight, 17 Americans now in Nebraska after being evacuated from the cruise ship at the centers of that hantavirus outbreak. One of them has tested positive for the virus. Where they are and what happens next in this case.

Also this morning, Iran pushing back after President Trump called their counterproposal to end the war, quote, totally unacceptable. Now talks are in limbo and oil prices, they're going up.

And a driver speeds right into the middle of a block party. Police opening fire trying to stop him. What happened in that case?

I'm Sara Sidner with Kate Bolduan and John Berman. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News. KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, let's get to the breaking news this morning and this hour. Buses in Nebraska carrying the American citizens who were evacuated after the hantavirus outbreak aboard that cruise ship, we've been tracking now for weeks. And also now, the first American passenger has tested been confirmed as tested positive.

Another showing what's being described as mild symptoms. That's according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Now there are also new images in of the plane that brought them home from Spain's Canary Islands. We're showing you that right here. And all 17 Americans were evacuated.

They will now be assessed and monitored at the National Quarantine Unit, which is at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. This is a specialized medical facility that has 20 single occupancy, 300 square foot rooms that, most importantly, are outfitted with negative air pressure systems to contain the spread of any viruses.

Officials there say the passenger who tested positive will be taken directly to a biocontainment unit.

Back on the cruise ship, the second day of evacuations is now underway. While the ship is docked at the Canary Islands, the first day involved 94 passengers being evacuated of 19 nationalities -- John.

BERMAN: We're monitoring that for any updates throughout the morning.

Also new this morning, Iran is responding to President Trump's claim that their latest proposal to end the war was quote, totally unacceptable. Now Iran says it was quite the opposite, calling it reasonable and generous.

Iranian state media says the proposal includes recognition of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and a demand for compensation for war damages, notably no mention of nuclear weapons.

With us now is Congressman Marlin Stutzman of Indiana, a Republican. Thank you so much for being with us, Congressman. What now?

REP. MARLIN STUTZMAN (R-IN), FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE: Good morning, John. Great to be with you. You know, I think that this is one thing that we've just continually seen from the Iranians.

They have a propaganda machine that's still working and they still sometimes don't -- they're just not realistic. One of the things that we know that has to happen is there can be no nuclear weapon that the Iranians have access to. Any sort of nuclear material that's still left over in Iran is unacceptable.

And you know, there are reports out that are saying they have the ability up to maybe 200 bombs. You know, we'll find out for sure. But you know, President Trump is a strong negotiator.

He's a strong -- he's got the cards right now, especially with the control of the Strait of Hormuz. And I think that's the other piece too, that we're all seeing as an international community that Iran cannot have complete control over the Strait of Hormuz, knowing that they will leverage it against not only us, but also United States, Europe and with China as well. So we need all of those partners to be at the table explaining why they can't have that sort of control.

BERMAN: You said President Trump claims the United States has all the cards. If that's all true, how does Iran seem to be stringing the U.S. along?

STUTZMAN: I think that, you know, the one thing that we do know with Iran is that they will -- they'll feel like they have time and they will try to drag this out.

[08:05:00]

But every time a ship is turned back from, you know, leaving the Strait, that's about a quarter billion dollars per ship. And it's estimated about 58 ships have been turned around. That's why the cash -- stopping their cash flow is really important.

Yes, we are seeing here at home paying at the pump with gas prices, but that's even going to, I believe, in about a month or so, we'll see a lot of changes made. And I don't think Iran can hold on that long. They won't hold on that long.

And plus they're having also their internal battles of who's really in charge there. So I think President Trump made the right decision by rejecting their proposal from what we know about it. And I think that sooner or later they will come back with something or there's going to be further consequences.

I think the other big party at play here is China. China eventually can have pressure, put pressure on this regime, whoever is in charge there in Iran, as well to help find a way forward.

So that's why I think this trip to China for President Trump is an important one.

BERMAN: All over the papers this morning, there's talk about the president's trip to China. And the idea that there are some concerns in Washington, some of these think tanks, that there could be some kind of a compromise where China would help open the Strait in return for concessions from the United States on Taiwan. How would you feel about any concessions about Taiwan?

STUTZMAN: Well, I think it depends what it is. And, you know, honestly, you know, watching China recently, I think that they have been showing some restraint, you know, and for whatever that reason is, I feel that they don't have the strength that they portray. But we'll see.

But, you know, they haven't -- you know, there's been some reports and maybe they've been supplying equipment to Iran. If that is happening, that's a problem.

But that's why I think President Trump going to China, going in and having a meeting with them. It's important not only for us here with dealing with Iran, but also our trade relationship that we have with China. You know, it's important they need us, but we also need them.

You know, if they could start buying ag products, that would be very helpful for American farmers here in the Midwest.

BERMAN: Well, it sounds like you're talking about tariffs and unhappy with how the tariff regime has impacted China buying agricultural products.

I do want to go back to Iran before I let you go here, because Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, gave a bit of a status report on where he thinks Iran's power currently stands, listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: There is still enrichment sites that have to be dismantled. There are still proxies that Iran supports. Their ballistic missiles that they still want to produce. Now we've degraded a lot of it, but all of that is still there and there's work to be done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: So all of that was the stated goal of Operation Epic Fury, which Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week said was over. So if all those things still exist, isn't there much more work to do in this war?

STUTZMAN: I think there's always going to be work as long as the IRGC is in place. And I think that would be the ultimate objective in my perspective is that there would be a change in the leadership in Iran. And part of that's going to have to happen internally with the people of Iran.

And I hope that there are efforts. I believe that there are efforts that are already in action, but it's the people there have to take their country back. And that's very difficult, considering the circumstances and how many people the IRGC has killed on the ground in Iran.

So yes, there's still work to do. That's why making sure they have no nuclear capability, that's priority number one. And then of course, as Prime Minister Netanyahu said that many of their assets have been degraded, but we're still trying to see who actually is in charge.

And I'm sure that as they struggle through the changes that they have faced with this attack from us and going after their assets and also controlling the Strait, they're put in a very difficult spot. So they're going to hold on as long as they can. But I do believe that we're going to be in a much better, safer position than what we were three months ago.

And I know that Europe and other people in the Middle East recognize that as well. And they're cheering this on, whether it's Saudi Arabia, whether it's the UAE, Qatar and other countries. This is a huge safety measure that we've just taken, that we've accomplished over the past several months.

BERMAN: Well, we'll see what happens next, because as of now, they don't appear any closer to a deal than they did yesterday or the day before that. Congressman Marlin Stutzman, thanks so much for being with us. Appreciate it, Sara.

SIDNER: All right, just ahead, an investigation underway after a jet struck and killed someone walking across the airport runway. There is new video this morning showing the moments leading up to that terrible accident.

[08:10:00]

Plus, oil prices jumping overnight. Gas prices at $4.52 a gallon now. But could there be a secret silver lining to any of this?

Also, President Trump is pulling the U.S. Postal Service into his battle against mail-in ballots. Why his proposed changes are being called a, quote, disaster.

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[08:15:00]

SIDNER: The 18-year-old American teenager who was begging to see his parents who were detained by ICE while he was dying of cancer has died. He finally got his wish just one day before he died. Federal authorities allowed his detained parents to be released from a DHS detention facility so they could be by his side. Kevin Gonzalez was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in January while visiting family in Chicago.

His parents who had previously been deported back to Mexico were detained in April when authorities say they tried to illegally re- enter the United States which their family says was simply a desperate attempt to see their terminally ill son.

CNN's Ed Lavandera has been following all of this for us. This is a heartbreaking story. What can you tell us, Ed?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, a heartbreaking story and several lawmakers are questioning why it took so long for the parents of this 18-year-old American citizen to be released from custody. But let's get into the background there.

This was an 18-year-old. His name is Kevin Gonzalez. He was born in Chicago but mostly was raised in Mexico. His parents had previously been deported.

And in December of last year, he came to Chicago to visit relatives for Christmas. And that's when he was diagnosed with the stage 4 colon cancer and deteriorated very quickly. And his parents had applied for a visa on humanitarian grounds, they say, to come visit their son while he was getting treatments and essentially dying.

But those requests were denied. Department of Homeland Security says that the parents had applied for a temporary visa, was denied because they had been previously deported. They tried in April of this year to cross the border illegally so they could get closer to their son, they say.

But they were arrested in Arizona and detained for almost two months. It wasn't until a federal judge late last week ordered that they be released and deported so they could be with their son. Essentially, the parents, Norma and Isidoro, finally made it to Durango, Mexico, Saturday, just 24 hours before the 18-year-old passed away.

So a horrible story, but the parents did make it to Mexico in time to be with their son for his final hours -- Sara.

SIDNER: It's hard to think about as we're seeing these images from Durango, Mexico of his last moments before he died. Ed Lavandera, thank you so much. I do appreciate it -- John.

BERMAN: All right, the gay couple who says they were targeted and exploited online, but what they say was a rage-bait MAGA influencer.

And then a multi-county high-speed chase across Florida. How did the driver get the energy? Well, it was a Red Bull truck.

[08:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Oil prices on the rise after President Trump rejected Iran's counter-proposal to end the war. Gas prices up 38 cents in the last month, more than $1.50, since the beginning of the war. Some analysts warn that $5 per gallon could be on the horizon. And for most people, that would not be good in the short term. But could that potentially spell a shift in the global energy supply chain?

CNN's David Goldman is with us this morning. A silver lining, I think, if you're talking about the macro decades-long evolution here.

DAVID GOLDMAN, CNN BUSINESS SENIOR REPORTER: That's right, John. I mean, we've talked so much about the negative consequences of this war and, you know, what could happen in the future. But I thought it might be good to take a look at some of the positive things that could come out of this war way down the road.

We're certainly not talking about right now. But if you figure that the Strait of Hormuz could no longer be an energy supply chokehold if they start routing oil around it, well, that could be a net good. And that seems to be what is happening, where Saudi Arabia and the UAE are already building pipelines to get around that Strait.

It could be in 10 years that there's no way for Iran to choke off a fifth of the world's energy supply. That would be a net good for the world. Also, OPEC is already starting to fray at the edges.

The UAE left OPEC or is about to leave OPEC. That could be a net good as well because OPEC has put pressure on prices higher. Now we could see some pressure lower again down the road. And the last thing is the shift to renewables that is inevitably going to come out of this. Already Asia and Europe have started to demand more renewables like solar and wind from China, which makes all of it. And that could be a net good as well.

So it is possible that a decade from now we look back at this moment as a shift, as a real fundamental shift in the energy supply. And it could be, intended or not, a good thing.

BERMAN: It requires adaptation, right? It requires adaptation. When you face a crisis like this, things do change.

We ended up with compact cars in the 1980s because of the oil embargoes of the 1970s. So people do adapt and try to shift to face the consequences, but it does take time.

GOLDMAN: Yes, they do.

BERMAN: And ultimately it could remove power from Iran to push things politically, but not today.

GOLDMAN: No, no. We're certainly not talking on a short timescale. We're talking on a very long timescale.

BERMAN: But it does bear watching. David Goldman, great to see you. Thank you very much -- Kate.

[08:25:00]

BOLDUAN: We're following new developments on the Hantavirus cruise ship outbreak. A group of American passengers evacuated from the ship. They are now back on U.S. soil. So far one has tested positive. We have more updates coming in from that.

And OpenAI is now facing a new lawsuit after prosecutors accused ChatGPT of allegedly helping a school shooter plan his attack.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: The latest update for you now on the stranded cruise ship. It is now being evacuated. The American passengers that were on board, they actually touched down back in U.S. soil overnight.

[08:30:00[